We met with Donald and Michael for this interview at their apartment in The North Loop, Minneapolis, with a view of Target Field, the Grain Belt sign and downtown. It was December, and their apartment was decorated for Christmas: Holiday cards from their travels are framed in the doorway, they have a tree for their traditional Christmas ornaments and a second tree for ornaments they’ve collected on their travels including Dubai, Paris, Egypt and the Minnesota State Fair. On the kitchen counter is a gingerbread village. Every year Michael creates a gingerbread village, and this year he went with the village from “Elf”- narwhal included!
We talked about their love for traveling and, of course, the Minnesota State Fair.
Michael, you grew up in Minnesota – what is the first fair you remember?
M: Lots and lots of memories of being a kid at the fair in the late ‘70s and on. Our family went only once during the fair since we lived 2.5 hours away, and we stayed the entire day.
A core memory of mine is that every year my mother would say we’d have to start the day with a “good, healthy breakfast” (as a farm family, this was very important), so we could eat whatever we wanted the rest of the day. So we’d wait in line for what seemed like forever at the Hamline Diner and sit down in the folding chairs with our pancakes and syrup (he laughs, “who’s to say that’s a “healthy” breakfast!”). My mom loved to walk around the Midway and people watch, look at the lights and the rides. We were never allowed to ride the rides, but it was fun to see everyone in that area.
I remember waiting in line at the TV station booths – it was such a big deal to watch the live broadcasts and meet the broadcasters who were the biggest celebrities back then.
Donald, you’re not from Minnesota. Did you grow up attending fairs? What did you think when you first came to the Minnesota State Fair?
D: I’m from Pennsylvania, and we didn’t have a fair. When Michael and I started dating, I lived in Rochester, Minn., where the Minnesota State Fair wasn’t that big of a deal either. He took me to the Minnesota State Fair, and I LOVED it! Amazing.
M: He had no idea what to expect! When planning for the day, he asked if he should plan for three to four hours. I was like, “There’s no way you’ll see everything in three hours – we need to stay all day!”
D: Did the Giant Slide and Ye Old Mill. That next year, I got a hotel in the area so I could spend more time at the fair!
D: As a psychologist, the fair is an amazing experience! Seeing all those people from every walk of life. It’s absolute heaven to see everyone being who they want to be, expressing themselves all in one place! It’s a melting pot of Minnesota, and everyone is so happy to be at the fair. I love to sit on a bench and people watch. I don’t really like Minnesota foods, but at the fair there’s such an offering of different flavors and foods to try. Although, I don’t try that many new foods (I try for at least one per fair) and stick to my favorites/traditions.
M: Nowhere else can you sit on a bench, see what a stranger is eating and say, “Mmmm, that looks good, what is it?” and the stranger will offer you some!
Donald, you had your first pronto pup at your first visit to the Minnesota State Fair? Would you say you’re a pronto pup or corndog person?
M: I don’t associate with corndog people!
D: You know my answer then!
Michael, you’ve mentioned that you love the fair at night. Why is that?
M: It’s so magical to walk around the fair with all the lights. There’s also a different crowd that comes to the fair at night. Love to ride the SkyGlider and watch all the people below.
D: It’s funny because my favorite time to go to the fair is the morning.
M: Before any vendors are open!
D: I get my Swedish egg coffee. I love the chill in the air and to walk around without too many people around.
Tell us about your award-winning entries in Minnesota State Fair contests?
M: 2021 was our best fair ever! We won two blue ribbons and were IN the parade with the Foundation. I won the Christmas Tree decorating blue ribbon and was the voted People’s Choice winner.
D: I entered the pumpkin decorating contest. I had always wanted to enter this contest and thought 2021 was a good year to start.
M: We’ve entered baked goods, scrapbooking and postcards in previous years, and won a couple of 2nds and 4ths. It’s fun to enter the competitions and to see your work during the fair.
What do you hope to accomplish with your giving?
D: We thought hard about what to give to when we die. We travel a lot … What if we were in an accident? If we died, it would be such a shame if the money didn’t go to a good place. Don’t want to add that stress to our families.
We asked ourselves, “What brings the most happiness and will continue to bring happiness to others and so many families for a long time?” When we made the decision to write the Minnesota State Fair Foundation in our wills, it just made sense like, “of course!” We love the fair – it always brings us pure joy.
M: When the fair was canceled in 2020, it physically hurt to not be able to visit our happy place. The fair has such a rich history and will be here for a long time, and our gift helps ensure that!
To me, HOME means the Minnesota State Fair. No matter where you live, you look around and think, “This is my heritage.” The fair is a grounding place. “It’s my people!”
D: No other fair compares to the Minnesota State Fair (we’ve been to many!).
What made you decide to become Friends of the Fair in 2015? How did you hear about the Foundation?
M: 2015 is when we started thinking about our future plans and were first introduced to the Minnesota State Fair Foundation.
D: It’s only been six years?! It feels like it’s been longer than that!
You helped the fair improve the landscaping around the Cosgrove Stage in 2021. How does it feel to help the fair make a much-needed improvement like this?
M: It is satisfying to see that you can make people happy with an improvement like landscaping on the fairgrounds.
D: Our donation made a tangible difference, something we can see and appreciate.
You have set up the Minnesota State Fair Foundation as a beneficiary of the property in your estate and IRAs. How did you come to that decision?
M: We wanted the process to be simple and clean, so we chose one organization as beneficiary.
D: We looked at our net assets, formalized the paperwork, and let our families know our wishes.
M: There’s a sense of happiness and pride to see MSFF as the beneficiary of our estate.
D: We have something to do with this (the fair), a sense of ownership. I like to imagine how people will enjoy the fair in the future.
What else would you like people to know about giving to the Foundation?
M: The Foundation is very approachable. Grand Champion events are informative and fun – I especially enjoyed the session on fair-time entertainment in the Grandstand.
What else do you want to tell us?
M: It’s always good to have your ducks in a row. Ask yourself, “Do I have my paperwork set?” Life is uncertain, take the time to get your stuff in order. What is going to make you happy? You should support that. We know that our money will go to something as good as the fair.
D: Make the plans, it feels so good once it is done! And the paperwork is extremely easy to do.
